Aspirations

Chapter 12
Xia Xiang and Xiao Wu were invited to the living room. After the two sat down, the housekeeper Cao Lin served tea, while Cao Shuli and Cao Shujun went to change clothes first.

Xia Xiang had already learned from Zuo'er that the drowning boy's name was Cao Shujun, the only son of the Cao family. He has been hard at reading since then. In the year of the Great Competition this year, he was forced to take the exam by his father. In the extreme, he wanted to let his horse leave the house, but he was shocked for a while. If Xia Xiang and Xiao Wu hadn't rescued him, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

The living room of Cao's family is also elegantly furnished, with tables and chairs made of golden nanmu, orchid and blue china vases, and most of the landscape paintings hung on the walls.There is a river in the painting, and there are boats on the river. There are three people on board, two rowing and one standing on the bow.There is another person on the shore, who is guiding the boat to the shore.

There is a line of small characters on the upper right: Yuanming's return to the hidden map.

The handwriting and the words left on the shadow wall are from the same person.

Xia Xiang understood a bit more in his heart, and when he was stunned, Zuoer Xinyue's voice came from behind.

"Xia Langjun, tea is here."

"The tea has already been served, why do you still serve it?" Xiao Wu was thirsty for a long time. After the housekeeper Cao Lin served the tea, he couldn't wait to drink it up. "I'm still thirsty, so I'll have another cup."

"There is only one cup, not yours." Zuo'er gave Xiao Wu a big white eye, and put the teacup in front of Xia Xiang, "Xia Langjun, please use tea."

The teacup used by Cao Lin for tea was Dingyao, and the teacup used by Zuoer was Ruyao.There are five famous kilns in Daxia, namely "Ru, Guan, Ge, Jun and Ding".

The shape of Ru porcelain is simple and elegant, with precious agate as the glaze, with unique color and luster, and has the praise of "agate is the glaze passed down from ancient times".The glaze color changes with the light, like "the rain passes the sky and the clouds break", "thousand peaks and green waves come" wonderful, like jade, not jade, but better than jade.Passed down to later generations, it has the reputation of "even if you have a lot of wealth, it is not as good as a piece of Ru porcelain".

"Why is my teacup not as valuable as Mr.'s?" Although Xiao Wu didn't know that the Ru kiln was better than the Ding kiln, he could make a judgment based on the luster of the teacup, and couldn't help but wonder, "It's because I'm not as good as Mr. Wei An, or am I not as talented as Mr.

"Neither." Zuo'er wrinkled his nose and smiled, and snorted, "You are not as popular as Xia Langjun more than my wife. Not only are your teacups not as precious as Xia Langjun's, but the tea leaves are too much. Butler Cao serves tea, most of which are third-grade tea. My wife didn't dare to wait for Xia Langjun, so she took out the special-grade tea that she treasured."

Where does Xiao Wu have so many crooked thoughts, "Oh", he got up and picked up Xia Xiang's original tea cup, drank it all at once, wiped his mouth with a smile and said, "No matter whether it is a special class or a third class, quenching thirst is a good tea. Zuo'er, would you like another drink?"

"No matter how good tea is, it's a waste to drink like you. You might as well drink plain water." Zuo'er gave Xiao Wu a dissatisfied look, "Remember, don't call me Zuo'er."

Xiao Wu puzzled: "What's your name?"

"The slave's surname is Li, and the name is Zuzuo. You can call me Zuzuo." Zuo'er is not fake to Xiao Wu, but smiles to Xia Xiang, "Only my wife and people close to me can call me Zuzuo. Son."

"Mr. also just met you, and he doesn't have a close relationship with you." Xiao Wu kept his head in circles, trying to correct Zuoer's mistakes, "Li Zuozuo is not as good as Zuer, I'd better call you Zuer."

"Why are you so irritating?" Zuo'er got angry and put the teapot down heavily. "Are you an elm head or a stone head? Don't talk to me in the future, you're mad at me."

Xia Xiang smiled slightly and took a sip of the good tea that Mrs. Cao brewed with her own hands. Sure enough, the aroma is long and the aftertaste is long.

Zuo'er was in high spirits and wanted to say something to Xiao Wu, but when he turned around, he found that Cao Shuli was standing behind him. Write it down and settle the accounts together next time. I'll go down first, and the lady will call me if I have something."

As he spoke, he ran away in a hurry.

Xia Xiang suddenly burst into laughter, turned around and saw that Cao Shuli had changed into a simple and elegant dress and stood indifferently.Behind Cao Shuli, stood Cao Shujun.

Cao Shujun changed into clean clothes, with a slender figure, a square scarf on his head, a brocade belt around his waist, a white embroidered long robe, and square boots. A handsome young man.

Xia Xiang secretly praised, the two sons and daughters of the Cao family are first-class people, and I don't know who the master of the Cao family is.If you are not an official, you are a wealthy businessman.

Cao Shuli first bowed to Xia Xiangyingying, and then snorted at Zuo'er's back: "Zuo'er, wait, I can't spare you."

Zuoer kept her feet on her feet and lowered her head to cover her mouth. Although she turned her back to a few people, her shoulders shrugged slightly. It was obvious that she was snickering and was not afraid of Cao Shuli's threat.

"Sister, Zuo'er is becoming more and more unruly, and you don't discipline yourself well. If you spread it out, people think that the Cao family has no family rules. Wouldn't it be humiliating for the Cao family?" Cao Shujun snorted coldly, his eyes proudly He crossed Zuo'er's back and looked at the sky outside the door. It was already late at night, and there was nothing but the stars in the night sky, and he didn't know what he was looking at.

"How can a maid humiliate the family of the Cao family? It's you who is ashamed of the ancestors of the Cao family." Cao Shuli's hair was tied into a flying fairy bun that was already tied but not married, with a green hairpin on top of the hairpin. Inlaid with gold and silver, it is full of brilliance, and the jade ring on the skirt is red and pink, and it makes a ding-dong sound with a light step, like the sound of fairy music.

It is the demeanor of Yun Temple, Hua Yan, and Jin Bu Yao.

"A man's ambition is not entirely in reading. If all the people in the world are scholars, who will do business, who will farm, who will make wine, who will join the army?" Go up, point to the chair opposite with his right hand, "Xia Langjun, sit down and talk."

Xia Xiang didn't take the seat, he smiled and said, "I don't know if it bothered Ling Zun?"

The living room is the place where the head of the family meets guests. If the master of the Cao family comes out to meet, Xia Xiang will not dare to sit down until the master comes out. This is due to etiquette.

"Daddy is changing clothes, and I'll be there later." Cao Shuli secretly praised Xia Xiang's bearing and manners. Although many princes and nobles have extraordinary bearing, they seem to be like dragons and phoenixes, but some people have lost their courtesy, and some people have lost their respect for themselves. Gao, Xia Xiang speaks and behaves casually and naturally, like the bright moon in the sky, and like the breeze blowing his face, which makes people feel cordial.

"It's okay to stand up to greet Daddy when he arrives, Xia Langjun, don't pay too much attention to politeness." Cao Shujun got up and came to Xia Xiang, grabbed Xia Xiang's arm, and pressed him into the chair. "Do whatever you want, and then you can be free. Lao Tzu said, do nothing to govern, teach without words, too many rules, but it is a bad thing. There is no sin greater than one's desire, no misfortune greater than dissatisfaction, and no blame greater than one's desire. Therefore, contentment, Forever is enough..."

Xia Xiang laughed dumbly. He thought that Cao Shujun was a dude who didn't know how to learn and skill, but he didn't want him to be deeply influenced by Lao Tzu's teachings, so he won the essence of Tao Te Ching. Don't let it go, benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith are the way of the five constants, and the five constants are the foundation of human beings. The way of advancing and retreating to get the body is the way to rectify the human body. The elders and the young are respected in an orderly manner, and there are rules in dealing with things. Invincible human relations, take righteousness as the foundation, develop a respectful heart, and maintain a righteous attitude in Zhaizhuang, which is also propriety.”

"I don't like bowing hands and bowing hands the most, the red tape makes people uncomfortable." Cao Shujun glanced at Xia Xiang with a hint of disdain in his tone, "I saw you save me just now, undressing, diving, loose and free and easy, and also Thinking that you are a carefree person like me who doesn’t care about the secular etiquette, but you don’t want to be a pedantic scholar, so I misunderstood you.”

Xia Xiangcai didn't care what Cao Shujun said, and replied calmly and unhurriedly: "The Master said: At fifteen I set my mind on learning, at thirty I stand, at forty I have no doubts, at fifty I know the mandate of Heaven, at sixty my ears are obedient, at seventy I follow my heart's desires. Don't break the rules...do what you want without breaking the rules. People can be free and easy, and they can be free and easy, as long as they don't break the rules and mess up the rules. , Although there are millets, I can eat them?"

Duke Jing of Qi asked Confucius about politics.Confucius replied: "The ruler is the ruler, the minister is the minister, the father is the father, and the son is the son."The public said: Good job!Faith is like the ruler is not the ruler, the minister is not the minister, the father is not the father, the son is not the son, although there are grains, I can get it and eat it?It means that a monarch should be like a monarch, a minister should be a minister, a father should be a father, and a son should be a son.Otherwise, if the ruler is not like the ruler, the minister is not like the minister, the father is not like the father, and the son is not like the son, although there is food, can I eat it?
"I don't respect Confucius, I only respect Laozi." Cao Shujun rolled his eyes in dissatisfaction. He wanted to say something, but felt that he couldn't say anything. He also wanted to convince Xia Xiang, but he didn't want to meet and fell into the lower hand. Pulling Xia Xiang up, "Since you care so much about etiquette, just stand."

Xia Xiang smiled secretly, remembering the previous agreement, and asked: "Cao Sanlang, the matter of 45 taels of silver should be done now?"

"Do you still want silver?" Cao Shujun jumped up angrily, and after skipping, he smiled again, "Forget it, I'll add another five taels, and the total is 50 taels of silver. If you want to take it away, it's no problem, as long as You do something for me."

"What's the matter?" Xia Xiang asked with a smile, and Yan Yue looked like an old farmer. He stretched out his right hand, "It's the rule to check the money before doing things."

"Pfft..." Cao Shuli couldn't help but laugh out loud, amused by Xia Xiang's rogue.

When she first saw Xia Xiang, Xia Xiang was almost naked. Although she was saving people, she was also rude. She thought that Xia Xiang was a young man in the market. Far more than many young men in brocade clothes and jade food in Shangjing.Shangjing is located in the Yanshan Mountains in the north, and there are many young rangers in the city.Since ancient times, there have been many generous and elegiac people in Yan and Zhao. In the capital city, there are many "Zhao Keman Hu Ying, Wu Gou Shuang Xueming. The silver saddle shines on the white horse, and it is like a shooting star. Killing a person in ten steps will not leave you for a thousand miles." A young chivalrous man who took off his clothes and hid himself deeply."

In the land of Yan and Zhao, from Shangjing in the north to Handan in the south, there are no less than ten thousand rangers.Since the Tang Dynasty, many descendants of the nobles and nobles have also been proud of the rangers.Tang Gaoshi has a poem saying: Since I grew up in Handan, I have been rich in thousands of times, and I have avenged my life several times.Songs and laughter came together, and there were always a cloud of horses and horses outside the door.I don't know who the courage is to, but it reminds me of Mr. Pingyuan!If you don’t see you, you are now in a thin state, and you are still sparse when you run out of gold.I hereby sigh and say goodbye to the old tour, and I have nothing to do with current affairs.And drink fine wine with the young man, and shoot the western hills!

It's just that Cao Shuli was influenced by her father's ideology of emphasizing literature and neglecting martial arts since she was a child. She only likes literati and does not appreciate rangers who are loyal and righteous. She believes that they are just playboys who have nothing to do with food and clothing, can't read, and have nothing to do. What kind of injustice needs the help of the Ranger?In particular, there was another Cao Shujun in the family who wanted to be a Ranger, which made her hate Ranger.

If it wasn't for Xia Xiang being Cao Shujun's savior, she would not have asked Xia Xiang to be a guest at home, and even said a word to Xia Xiang would be redundant.She didn't want Xia Xiang to be a scholar, but it surprised her, so she couldn't help but glance at Xia Xiang higher.When Xia Xiang's few words made Cao Shujun speechless, she was overjoyed. If Xia Xiang could really persuade Cao Shujun to devote his attention to reading, Xia Xiang would definitely be his father's guest. .

Cao Shuli never thought that Xia Xiang, who was still full of financial resources just now, has changed in a blink of an eye. Like a businessman who bargained in the market, he stretched out his hand to ask for money, and he also put on a righteous and dignified appearance, which was really dumbfounding. A scholar, taught by sages and paying attention to etiquette, how can he be so marketable?

Why does Xia Xiang have the literacy and erudite spirit of a scholar, the liberty and freedom of a ranger, and the shrewdness of people in the market?Cao Shuli is also very puzzled, what kind of person is Xia Xiang?

"Hey..." Cao Shujun sneered, took out a piece of money from his sleeve, flicked it in Xia Xiang's eyes, and raised the corner of his mouth, "I see clearly, it's the official's money, not the private hand. Son, take a closer look, isn't it fifty?"

In the early summer of the summer, there appeared in Yizhou "Jiaozipuhu" who operated money storage business for merchants who were inconvenient to carry large sums of money.The depositor delivers the money to the shop, who fills in the deposit amount on the paper roll made of mulberry paper, returns it to the depositor, and charges a certain storage fee.This kind of paper coupon that temporarily fills in the deposit amount is called Jiaozi.

Jiaozi was first formed spontaneously among the people, and later the imperial court set up Yizhou Jiaoziwu in Chengdu, and one or two officials from the Jing Dynasty served as supervisors to preside over the issuance of Jiaozi, and "set up a paper-making institute to eliminate the disadvantages of forgery", and strictly enforce its printing. During the system process, Jiaozi officially became the official Jiaozi.

Shortly after the current emperor ascended the throne, "Jiaozi" was changed to "Qian Yin", and "Jiaoziwu" was changed to "Qian Yinwu". The paper, printing, pictures and seals of "Qian Yin" are all excellent, and the unit is tao.One is consistent.

Fifty strings is fifty guan, about 50 taels of silver.Daxia silver is expensive and money is cheap, fifty taels of silver is not as valuable as fifty taels of silver, but it is about the same.

Xia Xiang showed a slight regret, took Qian Yin and looked left and right, and said to Cao Shujun: "It would be nice if there was a 50 taels of silver ingot, it is much more reliable than holding Qian Yin in your hand."

Cao Shuli forcibly held back her smile. In addition to being surprised, she was extremely curious to know what kind of person Xia Xiang was, whether he really loved money like his life, or did it intentionally.

Cao Shujun flipped his wrist, picked up Qian Yin with two fingers and put it on the table, and smiled lightly: "It's fine if you want real money, as long as you help me, five taels of gold, 50 taels of silver or fifty taels of silver." Copper coins, you can choose whatever you want. If you are afraid, be afraid, your ability is not worth a penny."

The exchange ratio agreed in Daxia is one tael of gold, ten taels of silver and ten copper coins.

Xiao Wu stood with his hands down behind Xia Xiang, never saying a word, his eyes were calm, his expression was calm, there was neither the humility that a follower should have, nor the solemnity that a guard should have, but it was Xia Xiang's. accompany reading.Furthermore, he is not a tall and burly type. If Cao Shujun hadn't seen Xiao Wu's bravery to stop the horse with his hands, he would definitely not believe that Xiao Wu would have amazing martial arts.

"It's better to ask for money." Xia Xiang didn't seem to hear the sarcasm in Cao Shujun's words, so he took a step back, "Cao Saburo, if there is anything you need me to help with, just speak up, I can save you. can help you."

These words were too full and full, Cao Shujun's face changed, and he was about to have a seizure, but saw Cao Shuli shaking his head slightly, signaling him to be calm and not restless.

(End of this chapter)